Pearls Dropping Onto a Jade Plate
Disclaimer: I do not own the Trinity Blood characters. They are the property of their creators.
Rated T (PG-13) for: mature themes, cross-dressing, a non-explicit yaoi scene, and violence.
Introduction: In this story, a traumatic turning point in the early relationship of Cain and Isaak forces the mage to realize how his master truly views him. Set against the backdrop of the RCO's private villa in tropical Southeast Asia, Isaak's infatuation with the Crusnik is finally reciprocated, but not in the way he longed for. (I realize that, in the original TB series, the RCO does not own a villa in the tropics.)
The cloudless evening sky above the shimmering tropical sea was steeped in blazing hues of coral, gold and pink. In the window of the sprawling pagoda-roofed villa on the beach, a pale slender hand parted the sheer curtains that shielded the interior from the scalding rays of the sun. Confined indoors until dusk, Isaak had spent the day languishing in the sultry heat of the seaside villa. The vampire breathed a grateful sigh of relief when he felt the breeze stroke his face as the sea air began to dispel the stifling heat and the accumulated cigarillo smoke that lingered in the room.
Suddenly, the sound of a carriage lumbering down the dirt track through the jungle that surrounded the mansion wrenched Isaak from his drowsy tranquility. His master had returned. Had it only been a year since he had found the Crusnik and restored the creature's body? Isaak pondered this thought as he made his way through the villa's corridors. Cain, this seemingly divine being who wielded the powers of a god, this creature who had brought meaning and purpose into his formerly empty existence? As he approached the foyer, his master eclipsed all other thoughts in Isaak's mind. Although an omnipotent creature that promised him the power to revolutionize the world, Cain depended on him above all others.
As Isaak entered the room, he saw Cain's stately figure silhouetted in the tall glass doors etched with images of dragons frolicking among clouds. Pushing the heavy doors apart with powerful grace, the Crusnik stepped into the large room. Beams of dying sunlight illuminated the silk wall hangings and carved serpents that wove themselves around the columns supporting the chamber. The low golden rays of light found their way into the shadowy corners where they bathed stone figures of deities in their glow.
Isaak bowed elegantly before his master, "Welcome mein Herr, I trust the airship journey from Berlin was uneventful."
Cain disdainfully tossed his head. "Hrumph, it was utterly dull. The pathetic excuse for a café onboard couldn't even procure any acceptable fish and chips," he sniffed haughtily. "Well, my darling, you'll be delighted to know that I refrained from causing any scenes or killing people in public while traveling," stated the Crusnik. Then, with a malicious smile, he added, "Except for a few of the Orden's servants who got on my nerves, that is."
Although he betrayed no emotion, Isaak inwardly shuddered. Cain's alarming penchant for slaughtering people without provocation, regardless of whether they were enemies or not, disturbed him and had already instilled much caution in him. Even though he feared Cain, Isaak felt a thrill of pleasure every time the Crusnik addressed him with a term of affection. The fact that his master acknowledged Isaak's adoration and devotion was almost intoxicating for the vampire.
Cain began to saunter in the direction his chambers, while Isaak followed by the Crusnik's side. As the pair walked through the labyrinth of hallways that connected the sprawling villa's disparate rooms, Isaak was in the process of relating the Orden's latest reports when Cain abruptly halted and turned to his loyal subordinate. Isaak noticed a disconcerting gleam in his master's ruby colored eyes as the Crusnik opened and reached into the leather bound suitcase he was carrying. The breath caught in Isaak's throat when he saw the object Cain held up for display. It was a long dress of vivid crimson silk trimmed with glistening gold sewn in the sleek Chinese style known as cheongsam. With an unsettling smile playing on his angelic face, Cain dropped the pile of shimmering red silk into Isaak's nerveless hands.
"Oh yes, I found this thing at one of those souvenir shops at the airport. Pretty, isn't it?" commented the Crusnik, "Of course, it will be even prettier when you wear it for me tonight."
Although taken utterly aback by his master's unusual request, Isaak had no choice but to accept his demands. After all, he was fully aware of the fate suffered by those who disobeyed Cain.
"I expect to see you up in my rooms in an hour," Cain ordered with casual imperiousness before striding off down the hall. With his master out of sight, Isaak sighed. Only his unwavering adoration for Cain allowed him to bear such a degrading command in order to please him.
Minutes later back in his own room, Isaak studied the outfit as he undressed. He could not help but admire the exquisite detail of the embroidered phoenixes and dragons that decorated the cheongsam dress. Red, he thought as he ran a hand over the glossy fabric, the color of happiness, good luck, fertility…and the color of a wedding dress according to Chinese tradition.
Then, an astonishing idea struck him and sent the vampire's heart beating while his thoughts raced. Could it be, he said to himself, that Cain has finally acknowledged me as his true partner? Was this dress the token of the Crusnik's love that Isaak had longed for, and did it therefore symbolize his "marriage" to Cain? Ever since he had first caught a glimpse of the creature's unearthly beauty and power, Isaak had adored, respected, and pledged his devotion to him. Although the vampire was painfully aware of Cain's superiority to him, Isaak desired him. If Cain would take him as his lover, he would attain the fulfillment he had always longed for.
While his ecstatic hopes battled with the apprehensions writhing in his mind, Isaak fastened the dress's clasps with trembling fingers. Then, he began rifling through the drawers of the carved wood dressing table which contained the eclectic collection of decorative objects and curios the mage had accumulated. In his search for suitably ornate accessories among the clutter of the drawers and boxes, he encountered a pair of hairpins inlaid with cerulean kingfisher feathers, a delicate comb carved from milky green jade, and gold cloisonné bracelets. If this was indeed his "wedding night" with Cain, Isaak was determined to look the part.
At that moment, a certain silk bound box drew his gaze. Opening the container, he carefully lifted out a long strand of pearls, each as luminous as sea foam beneath the full moon. As he draped the strand of pearls around his neck, Isaak recalled that the necklace was one of the few heirlooms he possessed from his mother. Considering her unfortunate fate, he briefly considered that the pearls might be contaminated by the curse that had shadowed his mother from her homeland in China. Mentally pushing such superstitious notions aside, Isaak began combing his waist length curtain of obsidian black hair. As he secured the hairpins, Isaak let himself be engulfed and intoxicated by the sweet sense of anticipation.
Finding himself outside the door to Cain's room, a shadow of apprehension passed over Isaak. "Well," Cain's voice demanded from the inside the room, "Are you just going to stand there outside my door all night?"
Drawing a deep breath, Isaak crossed the threshold and cast his gaze across his master's chamber. The air seemed thick and nearly saturated with the cloyingly sweet perfume of tropical flowers held in delicately decorated cloisonné bowls and vases. The space was furnished with ornate furniture carved from dark teakwood, while vibrantly hued silks in intricate patterns were draped from the canopied bed. Among the pillows lounged Cain, an ivory figure set against the blossoming of jewel-like colors.
As he stepped toward his master's silken lair, Isaak felt the Crusnik's ruby-eyed gaze rake over him, perhaps appraising him as though he were simply another luxurious object to be coveted.
"Ahh… That outfit really does flatter you," purred Cain as he raised himself from the pillows and set down a jade plate of confectionaries he had just polished off.
Isaak allowed himself a subtle smile, "Your taste is impeccable as ever Mein Herr," the vampire informed him. Maintaining his cool demeanor despite the vortex of lust and giddy anticipation swirling through him, Isaak knelt beside Cain and whispered to the Crusnik, "I am yours to do with as you wish…"
With surprising tenderness, Cain reached out to run his claw-tipped fingers through Isaak's hair. Then, in a movement of brutal abruptness Cain seized the black tresses and hauled Isaak onto the bed as the hairpins clattered to the floor. Before the jolt of pain to his scalp even registered, the vampire found himself transfixed by the molten garnet gaze of the Crusnik he was pinned beneath. Wordlessly, Cain enveloped Isaak in a kiss of savage passion as they embraced. Isaak involuntarily gripped his shimmering blonde hair while Cain ravished him with kisses and caresses. An electric thrill of pleasure shot through him as Isaak felt Cain run his hand across his thigh and up the slit in the dress.
"And now, here's the climax you've been waiting for…!" Cain breathed to his lover. Suddenly, Cain tore open the high collar of Isaak's dress before sinking his gleaming fangs into the startled vampire's pale heaving throat. Paralyzed by shock, Isaak could only gasp as he felt his blood being siphoned out of his veins by Cain's gulps.
Having finally drunk his fill, the Crusnik daintily flicked away a stray trickle of blood from his lips. Grasping the string of pearls draped around his exhausted victim's neck, Cain wrenched Isaak up from the disheveled sheets to face him.
While Cain stroked his face with mocking gentleness, Isaak felt his remaining blood turn to ice as Cain's softly spoken yet cruel words stabbed through him. "Did you forget what you are compared to me?" murmured the Crusnik, "Don't tell me you were disappointed by our consummation. You couldn't have possibly fantasized that you would become anything more if I did 'that' to you? Hmmm… Remember your place, since that's exactly where you belong." With a deft slice of his talon nails, Cain severed the necklace's thread and sent the pearls flying like sprayed droplets of milk.
As he thudded down onto the pillows, too drained to move let alone respond, the venom of Cain's words spread through Isaak's mind. Despite the love and devotion he felt towards the Crusnik, he knew that he could never be regarded as an equal by his master. No, he was merely a servant, if not just a convenient source of sustenance. Throwing a haughty glance at the figure sprawled across the bed, Cain arose before gracefully stepping out onto the balcony and into the velvet blackness of the tropical night. A single tear coursed down Isaak's pale cheek, and the only sound to be heard were the pearls dropping onto the jade plate.
The End
Author's Notes: Although Isaak would like to think that Cain depends on him and values him highly, this is only a delusion that instills some meaning in his empty existence. Indeed, Isaak's aspirations to become Cain's partner and equal were merely unrealistic fantasy. Unfortunately, the Crusnik is probably too self-centered and emotionally stunted to love anybody except himself (and his brother?) In fact, by the time Isaak encounters the young Dietrich, I imagine that his relationship with Cain is much like a marriage gone very bad. Although I'm aware that the RCO does not own a luxurious beachfront villa in Southeast Asia, they do in my fanfics. During the cold European winters (well, the season seems cold in TB's time period), Cain and company head to the tropics since they can afford the airship tickets! Also, I wanted to use an unconventional setting distinct from the traditional "gothic" backdrops of most stories. Concerning the cultural details, red is the traditional color for wedding dresses in China while dragons and phoenixes symbolize the harmony between yin/yang or female/male. On a final note, the story takes it's name from a delightful piece of classical Chinese music played on a stringed instrument known as the Yang-Qin. Even though this piece of music is perhaps too cheerful for the tone of this tale, the image and sound of "pearls dropping onto a jade plate" is a striking one. Speaking of pearls, in Western tradition pearls could be a symbol of vanity. This is fitting in this story's context, since it is somewhat vain of Isaak to imagine himself as Cain's equal! Anyway, thank you for reading and please let me know what you think!